Pound stands firm as questions raised over testing
Dick Pound, the controversial head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, has told athletes that they should get organised so they don’t miss out of competition drugs tests.
But the ever outspoken Pound’s tough line is in contrast with others who believe that the system is in need of review.
The issue has been raised by the provisional suspension of Commonwealth 400metres champion Christine Ohuruogu. Ohuruogu missed three out-of-competition tests in 18 months so UKA has said she has a ‘case to answer’. If found guilty she could face a two year ban.
WADA chief Pound told BBC Radio Five Live: "You know as a professional athlete that doping controls are a very important part of making your sport fair, not only for you but for everybody else, and it's part of your responsibility to tell your federation where you are, and to be where you say you're going to be."
But some have said that the system is prone to problems, especially when the drug testing is as rigorously imposed as in the UK.
The International Association of Athletics Federations rules say that athletes provide the location where they will be for an hour, on seven days of every week. But coaches and athletes argue that this is a logistical nightmare as travel for races, training routines varying due to weather, tiredness, injury, or availability of facilities, physio appointments, work commitments or even traffic can have an impact on where an athlete is.
If a out-of-competition tester goes to where the athlete has specified and does not find them the testers count this as a ‘no-show’.
Coaches such as Vicente Modahl have called for a more pragmatic system.
Have you got something to say about this story? Make your views known in our forum.
